OT: Coach K blocked Amaker from taking over at Duke

[tcf15]

Really hoping Duke crashes and burns in the post-Coach K world.

Exclusive | Mike Krzyzewski pushed ‘heartbroken’ Tommy Amaker out as Duke successor

Duke University wanted to hire Harvard basketball coach Tommy Amaker last spring to replace the retiring Mike Krzyzewski, even going so far as to offer him the job.

nypost.com

Duke University wanted to hire Harvard basketball coach Tommy Amaker last spring to replace the retiring Mike Krzyzewski, even going so far as to offer him the job.

However, Coach K talked his former player and assistant out of taking it so he could ensure his preferred candidate would succeed him, according to a new book by New York Post sports columnist Ian O’Connor.

O’Connor reports that Krzyzewski held a Zoom call with Amaker last year and had what a source described as “a very difficult conversation” with him. Coach K explained to Amaker that if he left Harvard to join the Duke staff as a successor-in-waiting for the 2021-22 season, the move would force the demotion of a Blue Devils assistant and “create an awkward dynamic with Scheyer.” Realizing that he didn’t have his mentor’s blessing, Amaker left the call “heartbroken,” according to someone close to him.

“Mike had to explain to Tommy why he couldn’t be the guy,” said one Duke source. “He can be Don Corleone when he needs to be.”

 

[8893]

Oof. Not a good look.

 

[aburks41]

I would love nothing more than to see Jon Scheyer become a total failure as a coach, and for Duke to fall into the abyss.

But, does anyone find it odd that Duke didn't run that by K? Calhoun got to pick out his successor, why would Duke not offer the same to the guy who won them 5 titles lol

Also, Amaker to Georgetown...? That would be a great hire

 

[8893]

Also, Amaker to Georgetown...? That would be a great hire

Ohhh, I like that.

 

[navery12]

I would love nothing more than to see Jon Scheyer become a total failure as a coach, and for Duke to fall into the abyss.

But, does anyone find it odd that Duke didn't run that by K? Calhoun got to pick out his successor, why would Duke not offer the same to the guy who won them 5 titles lol

Also, Amaker to Georgetown...? That would be a great hire

Did UConn let Calhoun pick his successor though? I thought that was the whole reason Calhoun waited until September was he wanted to force them into hiring Ollie

 

[aburks41]

Did UConn let Calhoun pick his successor though? I thought that was the whole reason Calhoun waited until September was he wanted to force them into hiring Ollie

Was there ever any talk of who the admin would have wanted if Calhoun had retired before the summer?

 

[WhereistheDove?]

I would love nothing more than to see Jon Scheyer become a total failure as a coach, and for Duke to fall into the abyss.

But, does anyone find it odd that Duke didn't run that by K? Calhoun got to pick out his successor, why would Duke not offer the same to the guy who won them 5 titles lol

Also, Amaker to Georgetown...? That would be a great hire

It sounds like there is a bit of a power struggle going on there, which doesn't surprise me, given we saw a similar thing here with a legendary coach. The AD may not have wanted to look subservient to K, but K outplayed them.

 

[husky429]

Sounds a lot like the Ollie and Calhoun situation... I hope Scheyer is just as much a failure as Ollie and that whole program burns in a fiery heap of dung.

 

[8893]

Did UConn let Calhoun pick his successor though? I thought that was the whole reason Calhoun waited until September was he wanted to force them into hiring Ollie

I think Calhoun was planning to return to coach that season until he broke his hip falling off his bike a month earlier.

 

[Waquoit]

Was there ever any talk of who the admin would have wanted if Calhoun had retired before the summer?

Shaka Smart

 

[gtcam]

KO was JC's choice successor all along and would only change if KO accepted a NBA position. KO had turned down a few NBA team asks for AC positions prior to JCs retirement. JC's retirement at that time was not planned or requested but his injury, a few other health related issues and the looming/known NCAA sanctions rushed that decision along

As far as the Duke issue - I think this happens a lot in college circles. I think they made a huge mistake not taking Amaker but perhaps Scheyer knows some skeletons in the K closet and this way K keeps them under the table.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Shaka Smart

Oh boy I remember those Ollie/Shaka debates on the BY.

 

[Inyatkin]

Anything can happen, I guess, but what in Tommy Amaker's record suggests he would be the right choice for maybe the best job in college basketball? A few good recruits at Seton Hall 20 years ago? Some overachieving Harvard teams? Seems like a stretch.

 

[elmcityboy]

Also, Amaker to Georgetown...? That would be a great hire

off topic, but this made me think -- could georgetown be the school that lures james jones away from yale? he has been killing it here for a long time and has definitely turned down other offers.

 

[gtcam]

Was there ever any talk of who the admin would have wanted if Calhoun had retired before the summer?

Its a very safe bet that it was never within the admins decision realm as long as JC was still on the books.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Oh boy I remember those Ollie/Shaka debates on the BY.

Those debates have almost come full circle at this point.

Shaka doesn't win in 2014, but I would bet that he would probably still be here and producing a steady winner almost a decade into his hypothetical tenure. Texas was a bad fit, but given what he's done at Marquette so far, I think he would have done fine here.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

Ohhh, I like that.

For many reasons.

One specific reason is that he can bring his Breakfast Club to DC. Awesome way to bring young men with honest, constructive and open conversations with black leaders.

 

[gtcam]

Anything can happen, I guess, but what in Tommy Amaker's record suggests he would be the right choice for maybe the best job in college basketball? A few good recruits at Seton Hall 20 years ago? Some overachieving Harvard teams? Seems like a stretch.

And what does Scheyer bring to the table that overshadows Amakers more complete book of experience. Being K's yes man and head waterboy? Wojo brings more to the table than Scheyer

 

[JellyBean]

Wow! Disappointing but I think that I understand why Coach K did this move. He probably figured that he would have a little more control over Jon Scheyer vs Tommy Amaker, in terms of input.

 

[Inyatkin]

And what does Scheyer bring to the table that overshadows Amakers more complete book of experience. Being K's yes man and head waterboy? Wojo brings more to the table than Scheyer

I didn't say anything about Scheyer. They could hire literally anyone.

 

[Ts5034]

And what does Scheyer bring to the table that overshadows Amakers more complete book of experience. Being K's yes man and head waterboy? Wojo brings more to the table than Scheyer

This just seems to be the trend in a lot of big programs lately. It’s a gamble hiring somebody with zero head coaching experience to take over the ship at a blue blood program. It happened with KO, then Michigan hired Juwan Howard, UNC hired Hubert Davis, and now Duke is hiring Scheyer. Makes you wonder what’s going to happen when Boeheim finally decides to retire. I guarantee he wants Mcnamara to take over.

 

[MexicoHusky]

I'm a bit skeptical of this story. I smell a bit of b.s. More specifically, I'm confused\skeptical by the part about Amaker being a Duke assistant for a year. If I were a sports reporter I'd want some confirmation on this. My question would be, "Did Duke or K insist Amaker come back to Duke as an assistant for a year? Really?"

Amaker hasn't been an assistant since the 90s. They wanted Amaker to once again relegate himself to assistant coach for a year? This is the most "Don Corleone" part of the story to me. Come back to Duke. Kiss the ring for a year and you can get what you want. If I were Amaker I'd tell them to pound sand if that was the deal. The author doesn't focus on this point at all. To me, this is a significant part of the story.

Edit: another point I'm trying to make. I'm skeptical that Amaker was "heart broken". I'm pretty sure Amaker was a the heir apparent at one point, but the was almost 20 years ago. Scheyer has been that guy for a while now. So this shouldn't be much of a surprise to Amaker. I think the real reason Amaker backed away was, it was clear Amaker wouldn't actually be head coach. Instead he'd be some bizarre K puppet. The article basically acknowledges this point. Which is also super bizarre of K. What a K is.

 

[methodology]

Book: Coach K chose Scheyer over Amaker

Officials at Duke wanted to hire former Blue Devils star Tommy Amaker to replace Mike Krzyzewski after he retires this year, but the coach wanted current associate head coach Jon Scheyer to take the job, according to a new book out next week.

www.espn.com

Krzyzewski's relationship with former assistant and current Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder, including one Duke player who's quoted in the book as saying: "I saw tension between them. I think I saw jealousy from K to Quin. K snapped at Quin more than any coach or any player combined, and when he did it, it felt personal."

• Reporting on how Snyder and fellow assistant Tim O'Toole helped persuade Krzyzewski to change his recruiting approach in the mid-1990s and attempt to sign players who didn't come from traditional Duke backgrounds.

 

[Vowelguy]

I'm a bit skeptical of this story. I smell a bit of b.s. More specifically, I'm confused\skeptical by the part about Amaker being a Duke assistant for a year. If I were a sports reporter I'd want some confirmation on this. My question would be, "Did Duke or K insist Amaker come back to Duke as an assistant for a year? Really?"

Amaker hasn't been an assistant since the 90s. They wanted Amaker to once again relegate himself to assistant coach for a year? This is the most "Don Corleone" part of the story to me. Come back to Duke. Kiss the ring for a year and you can get what you want. If I were Amaker I'd tell them to pound sand if that was the deal. The author doesn't focus on this point at all. To me, this is a significant part of the story.

I don’t understand why this confuses you.
What was the alternative — announce Amaker last spring and then have him coach at Harvard for another year? And in that year who is recruiting for Duke? For Harvard?
The only way to have a coach in waiting is if he is on staff.

The alternative is to not announce anyone until the end of this year — which again kills recruiting for Duke.

 

[wheelerdog]

This is old news. He wanted the new coach on the bench this season and did not want to have to bump one of his current assistants.

I'm sure no one will be surprised if this is a failed experiment by 2026-2027. It's gonna take them a few coaches to find the next guy.